By Peggie Mars
Founder, Wheel Well – Child Road Safety NGO

Daily life already asks enough of us without adding another shadow to the school run or the commute. Yet kidnapping in South Africa has shifted from a distant fear to a growing, uncomfortable reality. Not to terrify parents or make children shrink their world – but to remind us that awareness, small habits, and community vigilance genuinely make families safer.

Police-recorded figures and independent analysis over the past decade show a steep climb in kidnappings across the country. Some of the increase comes from better reporting, but much reflects a genuine rise. And these incidents vary. Many are “express kidnappings” linked to robberies or hijackings – fast, violent and driven by opportunity. Others are organised, targeted, or linked to trafficking. Recent police rescues and trafficking convictions confirm how broad the spectrum really is.

Gauteng remains a hotspot in national datasets, sometimes accounting for more than half of reported cases – but no province is untouched. This means parents, commuters, and caregivers need practical precautions that fit into real life, not fear.

This is not about living afraid. It’s about living informed.

Who’s Being Targeted – And Why It Matters to Every Family

Kidnappers are not only after the wealthy or high-profile. Many victims are chosen simply because the moment presents itself:

• a distracted driver
• a car door unlocked at an intersection
• valuables left visible
• or a child who is briefly out of sight

Ransom kidnappings still happen, but the majority are quick, opportunistic and closely linked to everyday crimes like hijacking and robbery. People have been taken leaving church, running errands, or fetching children from school. Children too have been targeted – sometimes by strangers, sometimes by acquaintances, and in rare but devastating cases, by organised groups.

Practical Steps to Reduce Risk

These are simple, teachable, everyday habits that have real impact without creating fear.

1. Keep your awareness switched on

Phones and earbuds are distractions. Put them away when approaching your vehicle, walking through parking areas, waiting at robots, or loading children.

2. Lock doors and windows – always

Keep car doors locked and windows up, especially in traffic. At home, don’t leave gates or garages standing open.

3. Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle

Not for a moment, not even “just while I dash inside.”
Unattended children are easy targets, and in seconds an opportunistic criminal can take a child – or the entire car with the child inside. It is one of the fastest, most preventable routes to abduction.

4. Vary your routines

Predictability makes surveillance easy. Change routes or adjust timing slightly when possible.

5. Teach children who is allowed to fetch them

Children must understand a clear, non-negotiable rule: they only go with the parent or caregiver who is supposed to collect them – nobody else.
Not with a “family friend,” not with a neighbour, not with someone who claims “Mom said I must pick you up.”

Older children with cellphones must confirm with the parent they live with before going with any adult, whether it’s a stranger or a familiar face.
This creates a simple, powerful system:

• If someone else truly needs to fetch the child, the parent confirms directly with the child.
• No confirmation = no going anywhere.
  It’s a calm, empowering rule that protects children without frightening them.

6. Use live-location responsibly

Share your location with one trusted person when travelling alone or at unusual times. Teach your family how to send an emergency location pin instantly.

7. Teach children simple safety scripts

Short, clear rules empower without scaring:
• “Stay with your group.”
• “Check with the teacher before leaving the playground.”
• Family code word for pickups.

8. Choose transport carefully

For ride-hailing: confirm the number plate, model and driver photo.
For mini-bus taxis: travel with known, reputable drivers and try to sit near the front.

9. Hide valuables

Visible phones, laptops, handbags or cash create opportunity. Remove temptation.

10. Learn basic hijack-avoidance skills

Safe following distance, escape gaps, and understanding what to do if boxed in can save lives. This is preparation, not paranoia.

11. Report incidents and suspicious behaviour

Even “small” attempts matter. Police need data to identify hotspots, syndicates and patterns.

12. Build community systems

School gate volunteers, WhatsApp groups, neighbour watch networks – these amplify awareness and share real-time information that individuals might miss.

If the Worst Happens

Clear actions save precious time:

• Try to stay calm and observe details (car type, colour, direction).
• Activate live-location if you safely can.
• Call emergency services and your nearest police station immediately.
• Preserve the scene – don’t clean or move anything.
• Alert trusted family or neighbours at once.

South Africa Needs Better Systems – And Stronger Community Habits

The rise in kidnappings demands stronger policing, better-trained specialised units, coordinated intelligence, and consistent prosecution. Recent high-profile rescues prove that progress is possible when these systems align. At the same time, tragic trafficking cases show how far we still have to go.

Communities cannot replace formal policing – but we can close the gaps with awareness, routine, and communal vigilance.

The Final Word – Awareness is Power, Not Panic

We’re not here to raise anxious children or turn parents into bodyguards. We’re here to build families who move through the world alert, prepared, and connected. A locked door, a changed route, a code word, a neighbour who pays attention – these tiny habits add up to real safety.

When knowledge replaces fear, confidence grows – and so does protection.

Much love
Peggie